Laban
(white).
•Son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah and father of Leah and Rachel. (B.C. about 1860-1740.) The
elder branch of the family remained at Haran, Mesopotamia, when Abraham removed to the land
of Canaan, and it is there that we first meet with Laban, as taking the leading part in the betrothal
of his sister Rebekah to her cousin Isaac. (Genesis 24:10,29-60; 27:43; 29:5) The next time Laban
appears in the sacred narrative it is as the host of his nephew Jacob at Haran. (Genesis 29:13,14)
[Jacob] Jacob married Rachel and Leah, daughters of Laban, and remained with him 20 years,
B.C. 1760-1740. But Laban’s dishonest and overreaching practice toward his nephew shows from
what source Jacob inherited his tendency to sharp dealing. Nothing is said of Laban after Jacob
left him.
•One of the landmarks named in the obscure and disputed passage (1:1) The mention of Hezeroth
has perhaps led to the only conjecture regarding Laban of which the writer is aware, namely, that
it is identical with Libnah. (Numbers 33:20)
Lacedaemonians
in Greece the inhabitants of Sparta or Lacedaemon, with whom the Jews claimed kindred. 1
Macc. 12:2,5,6,20,21; 14:20,23; 15:23; 2 Macc. 5:9.
Lachet
the thong or fastening by which the sandal was attached to the foot. It occurs int he proverbial
expression in (Genesis 14:23) and is there used to denote something trivial or worthless. Another
semi-proverbial expression in (Luke 3:16) points to the fact that the office of bearing and unfastening
the shoes of great personages fell to the meanest slaves.
Lachish
(invincible), a city lying south of Jerusalem, on the borders of Simeon, and belonging to the
Amorites, the king of which joined with four others, at the invitation of Adonizedek king of
Jerusalem, to chastise the Gibeonites for their league with Israel. (Joshua 10:3,5) They were routed
by Joshua at Beth-horon, and the king of Lachish fell a victim with the others under the trees at
Makkedah. ver. (Joshua 10:26) The destruction of the town shortly followed the death of the king.
vs. (Joshua 10:31-33) In the special statement that the attack lasted two days, in contradistinction
to the other cities which were taken in one (see ver. 35), we gain our first glimpse of that strength
of position for which Lachish was afterward remarkable. Lachish was one of the cities fortified
and garrisoned by Rehoboam after the revolt of the northern kingdom. (2 Chronicles 11:9) In the
reign of Hezekiah it was one of the cities taken by Sennacherib. This siege is considered by Layard
and Hincks to be depicted on the slabs found by the former in one of the chambers of the palace at
Kouyunjik. After the return from captivity, Lachish with its surrounding “fields” was reoccupied
by the Jews. (Nehemiah 11:30)
Lael
(of God), the father of Eliasaph. (Numbers 3:24)
Lahad
(oppression), son of Jahath, one of the descendants of Judah. (1 Chronicles 4:2)
Lahairoi
(well of the living God), The well. In this form is given in the Authorized Version of (Genesis
24:62) and Genesis25:11 The name of the famous well of Hagar’s relief, in the oasis of verdure
round which Isaac afterward resided. It was southwest of Beersheba.
frankie
(Frankie)
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